Does patent ductus arteriosus shorten life expectancy?

Will patent ductus arteriosus shorten life expectancy? Patent ductus arteriosus can be cured through surgery, so there is no problem of shortened life expectancy. Of course, if it is not treated in time, there will be many harms. So what harm will patent ductus arteriosus cause to patients?

1. Affect the hemodynamics of newborns and change blood circulation

The main symptoms depend on the size of the shunt, that is, the amount of blood shunted from the aorta to the pulmonary artery, and whether secondary pulmonary hypertension occurs and its degree. Children with simple patent ductus arteriosus with a small shunt generally have no obvious symptoms. As the disease progresses, children may experience shortness of breath, palpitations, fatigue, etc. after fatigue, and are prone to repeated colds and pneumonia, and slow growth and development.

2. Cause neonatal hypoxia

Long-term patent ductus arteriosus may induce reactive spasm of pulmonary arterioles and eventually lead to pulmonary hypertension. When the pulmonary artery pressure exceeds the high aortic pressure, the left-to-right shunt is significantly reduced or stopped, resulting in reverse shunt of pulmonary artery blood flow into the aorta. Children show differential cyanosis, with clear purple lower body and normal right upper limb.

3. Lead to heart failure

When the aortic pressure is higher than the pulmonary artery pressure, blood will flow from the aorta to the pulmonary artery, causing a sharp increase in the amount of blood in the pulmonary circulation, which in turn leads to an increase in the amount of blood flowing back to the left atrium and left ventricle, greatly increasing the load on the left ventricular diastole, causing the left atrium to enlarge and the left ventricular hypertrophy, increasing the pulse pressure, and producing peripheral vascular disease and even heart failure, leading to sudden death.

The harm of patent ductus arteriosus mainly depends on the size and direction of the shunt. Therefore, patients with patent ductus arteriosus may have no obvious symptoms in mild cases, while severe cases may develop heart failure. The seven most common symptoms of patent ductus arteriosus in congenital heart disease include palpitations after exertion, shortness of breath, fatigue, susceptibility to respiratory infections and developmental problems. Patent ductus arteriosus generally has the possibility of closing on its own within one year of age, but regular follow-up is necessary to keep track of the condition at all times. Some patients have more serious conditions and cyanosis appears at birth. At this time, surgical treatment should be performed immediately.